Device for holding boards while being nailed



March 17, 1959v A. HIDALGO, sR

DEVICE FOR HOLDING BOARDS WHILE BEING NAILE'D Filed March 29, 1955 Lea/g0, 5i: INVENTOR ATTORNEYS United Estates Patent DEVICE FOR HOLDINGBOARDS WHILE BEING NAILED Albert Hidalgo, Sr., Opelousas, La.

Application March 29, 1955, Serial No. 497,493

1 Claim. (Cl. 254-17) This invention relates to a device in the form ofa jack, designed primarily for use by carpenters, and aims to provide adevice or tool which will facilitate the center match fitting of boards,in the construction of walls, floors or the like.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a device of thischaracter, which may be operated to move the boards to their properfitted positions for nailing to the studding of the building.

An important object of the invention is to provide a. device of thischaracter that may be operated to hold the boards in place during thenailing operation of the boards.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a device of thischaracter which may be readily adjusted for positioning over studding ofa building and to which boards are being nailed and temporarily held inposition by the device.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details ofconstruction and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully describedand pointed out in the claims, it being understood that changes may bemade in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing fromthe spirit of the invention as claimed.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure l is a fragmental perspective view of a building illustrating ajack device, constructed in accordance with the invention as positionedfor holding a board in position for nailing.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the device fitted over studding.

Fig. 3 is a fragmental enlarged elevational view illustrating theoperating lever and means for holding the operating lever againstmovement.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view through the studding illustratingthe device in elevation.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the device comprises a pair of bars5 having curved ends 6 adapted to straddle a studding of a building tohold the device in position for operation.

Aligning openings 7 are arranged in pairs and are formed in the curvedends 6 for the reception of the threaded shank 8 which is provided witha crank 9 at one end thereof for rotating the shank 8. It will thus beseen that by rotating the shank 8 the curved ends 6 of the bars 5 may bemoved towards each other to grip the studding over which the device ispositioned. By rotating the shank 8 in the opposite direction, thecurved ends 6 of the bars 5 may be moved away from the studding torelease the device.

The bars 5 are held together by means of the U-shaped connecting bar 10which is shown as having its ends riveted t0 the bars 5 at such a pointthroughout the length of the device that the curved ends of the bars 5may flex towards and away from each other.

2,877,983 Patented Mar. 17, 1959 The reference character 11 indicates alever which has its lower end curved laterally providing a jaw 12.Cooperating with the jaw 12 is a jaw 13 formed at the lower end of thesubstantially short bar 14 which is secured to the lever 11 and held inspaced relation therewith by means of spacers 15 which are disposedbetween the bars 11 and 14 and are mounted on bolts 16.

The reference character 17 indicates a pivoted arm formed with abifurcated end 13 that connects with the bars 5 at points substantiallyintermediate the ends thereof. This pivoted arm 17 is of a length toextend between the bars 11 and 14, as better shown by Fig. 1 of thedrawing, the arm 17 having teeth 19 between which the spacers 15 rest asthe lever 11 is swung forwardly or rearwardly in operating to positionand hold a board to be nailed.

It might be further stated that the ends of the jaws 12 and 13 extendbeyond the lower edges of the bars 5 and below the pivot points 20thereof, with the result that the lever 11 is moved to the right fromthe position shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing, and the extended ends 21 ofthe jaws 12 and 13, will contact with the board being positioned withthe device to move the board into close contact with the adjacent board.

In operation the device is positioned on studding such as indicated at Ain the drawing, and the curved ends 6 of the bars 5 are clamped to thestudding in the proper position to leave sufiicient space at the end ofthe device for supporting the lever 11, to permit the board to bepositioned and held by the device, to be laid adjacent to a board whichhas been already secured.

The lever 11 is now moved to the right causing the board to be moved inthe desired direction or into close contact with the adjacent boardalready positioned. The pivoted arm 17 is now moved to a position sothat the teeth 19 fall opposite to the bolt 16, whereupon the lever 11is held in its stationary position, behind the person using the boardsto nail the boards in their proper positions.

The tool may now be moved along the beam and the operation repeateduntil the entire surface has been covered.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

A device for holding boards for nailing, comprising a pair of barsarranged in parallel relation and having downwardly curved ends disposedopposite to each other, said curved ends having threaded openings, athreaded shank movable within said openings for moving said curved endsinto gripping relation on a beam, securing the device to a beam, a leverpivotally mounted at the other ends of said bars, said lever includingjaws extended below said bars for contact with a board to be nailed, apivoted arm secured tosaid bars at intermediate transversely alignedpoints thereon, said arm being formed with spaced keeper notches, and alocking pin carried by said lever engageable in a selected keeper notchfor holding said lever in position against accidental movement ingripping a board to be nailed, said lever including two spaced apartcomponents, outwardly flared at their lower ends to form a fork, thearms of said fork being pivotally secured, one to each bar in transversealignment, said locking pin extending transversely between saidcomponents.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS275,017 Case et a1. Apr. 3, 1883 1,206,832 Ford Dec. 5, 1916 2,082,246Hollingsworth June 1, 1937 2,625,368 Warner Jan. 13, 1953

